Regulator



Patented May 8, 1951 UNITED vSTATES PATENI O..Fil'f`ICll` 2,551,836 REGULATOR RaymondRGendreau, WillstonPark, N. Y., as.-

signor. to Republicv Aviation CorporatiomFarmr ingdale, N. Y., a corporationof. Delaware Application June Z9,k 1945, Serial' No. 602,368'

9 Claims.

This invention relates to regulators for use inv conjunction with the Water injection systems of internal combustion engines and contemplates meansffor controlling the supply of water orA` equivalentfluids to the intake conduits or intakeV manifold of the engine-or the like, forblend-ing withv the air-fuel mixtures.

In substantially allthe prior regulating systems the volume of Water directly or indirectlyvinjected into the engine has been controlled -by fuelv pressure, but for one reason or. another thisr control has been unsatisfactory. For example, itY has.

frequently been found that variations of the vfuel pressure do .not coincide vwith or correspond to variations in the manifold pressure. In other cases, the variation of fuel pressure isinsuicient to regulate the volume of water necessaryl tov meet the requirements. of the enginev atrdiiferent.

throttle settings. In many of these prior vWater regulators, a .diaphragm is employed, fuel being directly admitted to one side of the diaphragm and water on the other rside thereof.

in the prior Water regulatingsystems has oftenl resulted indiaphragm failures andconsequent In:

intermingling of the fuel. with the Water. such cases, ify the Water is` exhausted or-not. in use,y the fuel passes through the diaphragm and into the engine through the-fwatersystem, thus.`

has in view awater regulator so constructed anda arranged that the volume of water` is controlled., by and from the manifold pressure and a constant.

but adjustable ratio is .maintained1betWeen the manifold pressure on the one hand. and the quantity of water on the other, the latter being' independent. of theA fuel pressure.

Withthe-above and other objects in View, as.

will be apparent, this. invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement. of parts all as` hereinafterA more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. lis asideview of aregulatorconstructed. according: to the present invention. showingy parts.

Since ity is well known that` varioustypes of fuel vary. chemically, introduction of` these different fuels4 Y ofthe `outer housing-thereof broken away. to disused asa coolant' normal operation.

excessive power is usedl it is only used-for short-- intervals and isalways accompanied by, or is the 1 close in section the interior arrangementof parts includingv the means by which .themanifold prese sureis-communi'cated. tothe valve controllingl the-volume of Water;

Fig. 2 is` asection taken along. the. line. 1--2 of Fig. l, indicating therdirectionalfiow of the;v water,` the rotation. ofy theimpeller of the pump..

and illustrating with more partieularity the. regulationof thevolume. ofvvater discharged byv the pump.- by the. openingand closing. of: the.v valve` of the regulator.; and. l

Fig. 3 .is an enlarged transverse. sectiontaken along the-line 33 ofvFig. l, totillustrate. the. fulcrunfi ofthe `control rod.

One use for the vrpresent 'Water regulator. isl in the construction of aircraft-Wherel it is obviouslyv desirable Aande-importantthat-the pilot. have. at

his command all the speed, power and maneuverabilityf of whichv` his plane isl` capable. 'To-that end itis further-desirable` to provide ae-ii-Xed' ratioof operationor effectiveness between-the. mani-LA fold pressureof -the.engine^.and the volume of4 water feeding into the Waterinjectionsystem.'

Waterinjecti'on. ordinarily is. not. constantly used inthe operation: of aircraft engines, since.

itis onlyrequired'-.when powerin excess of the` normal :output-of theengine is1 needed, or where.

it may be-substi-tuted for'` that portion of the fuel When result of 1 pronounced-ifncreases in manifold pres-` sure. One of theobjects of vthe presen-t invern-- l i tion, therefore, is theprov-isiony of means wherebyl the mani-fold pressure regulates andcontrols the volume of Waterfeeding from the water system into the engine fuely intake.

As previously pointed out substantially allof` the prior systems have tiedin the Waterl controlto the fuel pressure With unsatisfactoryresultsas noted. According to the present invention, therefore, there is no direct connection or interdependence,y between the volume ofv water passing into the engine system and the fuel pressure4 thereof. On the contrary the. arrangement.

of` parts according totheinstant invention is. such that thereis `provided complete independence, of the fuel pressure sofaras-the quantity of water delivered to ,the ysystemr is concerned;

and `a directrelationshin `is afforded between` the'. manifold; pressure andI the Waten. whereby as the; manifold pressureincreasesithe volume.` of4 WaterV Conversely', if the.

correspondingly. increases..

manifold pressure falls, then the flow of water likewise decreases.

To that end there is contemplated any conventional water tank or reservoir connected to a pumping unit, with the water running from the reservoir or container through the Water pump to be delivered under pressure to the engine fuel system. As an integral part of the pump unit or operating in conjunction therewith is provided a housing to contain the structure whereby variations of the manifold pressure correspondingly increase or decrease the volume of water fed into the engine fuel system. This includes a bellows operable from the manifold pressure which in turn actuates a rod or lever fulcrumed between the bellows and a by-pass valve coacting with the pump. This valve is so coordinated with the pump that as its opening decreases, the supply of water discharged by the pump is increased and reversely when the valve opening is increased the quantity of discharged water is decreased. Thus there exists a definite ratio between the volume of water and the manifold pressure, and the former is regulated by the latter. Since it is desirable that an increase of manifold pressure be accompanied by a greater flow of water and conversely that a smaller volume of Water be concomitant with a reduction of manifold pressure, the utility of the instant invention is apparent.

The regulator contemplated herein is primarily adapted for use as a regulator for the water injection system of a combat aircraft though it will become manifest that it has general application and use. It includes a casing or housing I into which the manifold pressure is transmitted through the tubular fitting or pipe I I, fastened to the casing I0 by the nut I2 or other suitable fastening means. Within the hollow casing IB is the bellows I3, the open end of which is connected or otherwise bonded to the end wall I4 of the casing, whereby the manifold pressure becomes effective within the bellows I3. Manifestly, as the manifold pressure varies, the bellows I3 correspondingly expand or compress. At its other or upper end the bellows I3 are closed by and secured to the plate I5 which also serves as a base or mounting support for the spherical or universal socket I6. According to this arrangement of elements, it will be readily understood that if the manifold pressure increases, the bellows I3 within the casing I8 will expand, thus moving the socket I6 vertically upward and further away from the end wall I4 of the casing. Reversely, if the manifold pressure decreases or falls, the bellows I3 compress or deflate and the universal socket I6 moves vertically downward toward the end wall I4 of the casing I8.

As shown in Fig. 1, the bellows I3 and the socket IB are normally urged downwardly by means of the compression coil spring I'I, the ends of which seat or nest on the flanges I8, IS of the opposed collars or annular rings 20, 2|, the central portion of each collar being received within the coacting end of the spring. The end of a bolt 22 threaded through the upper end wall of the casing is seated in a recess in the ring 2I so that the adjustment or variation of the tension of the spring I1, may be accomplished by turning the bolt 22 in the appropriate direction. As shown in Fig. 1, this adjustment may be accomplished without recourse to the interior of the housing or casing IIJ since the head 23 of the bolt 22 is outside of the casing I0 and may be xed by the lock nut 24 mounted on the bolt 22 adjacent the upper end wall of the casing I8.

A lever or rod 26 is moved or actuated through the movementl of the bellows I3 by being connected to the socket I6 by the ball 25 integral with or xed to the extremity of the lever or rod. This lever or rod 26 projects horizontally beyond the confines of the casing I0 and medially of its length is threaded as at 21. A nut 28 is mounted on the threaded intermediate portion 2l of the rod or lever 28 to act as a central fulcrum therefor, as will be apparent. It is the movement of this rod or lever 28 about the nut 28 as a fulcrum that controls the volume of water in relation to the manifold pressure as will be described hereinafter.

Adjacent the housing I8 and fastened thereto by means of the bolts 29 is a conventional water pump 30 having a spline gear 3| and shaft 32 adapted to rotate the impeller 33 of the pump whereby the water is received from the pump inlet 34 and forced or expelled under pressure through the opposed pump outlet 34.

As shown in Fig. 2 the water pump 30 forms a base or support on which is mounted an upper hollow housing 35 which accommodates the control valve whereby the volume or ow of water from the outlet 34 is increased or decreased. The housing 35 is mounted on the pump 38 by means of the bolts 3S located on the perimeter of the housing 35 and passing through the rubber gasket 3'I into the pump housing 30.

The valve seat 42 divides the housing 35 into an upper chamber 39 which communicates with the inlet port 34 of the pump and a lower chamber 48 which communicates with the outlet port 34 of the pump, the impeller 33 being disposed between these two ports 34-34. The valve opening in the seat 42 permits communication between these chambers 39 and 40 and the degree of valve opening determines the volume of water permitted to pass under pressure from chamber 40 to chamber 39 and thus recirculate through the impeller 33. Thus if the valve opening is fully open, a large percentage of the water passing the impeller 33 is forced upwardly through the chamber 48, the valve opening and into the chamber 39 to return to the intake side of the impeller 33. A part of the water admitted to the pump 30 through the intake port 34 may be thus bypassed and recirculated through the pump and not be discharged through the outlet port 34. If the valve opening is completely closed there is none of this recirculation or by-passing of water and the entire water intake is discharged through the outlet port 34 for ultimate delivery to the fuel intake of the engine.

The opening in the seat 42 is closed or its effective size is regulated by the valve 38 having a stem 38 upon one side and a cup 38l on the opposite side. The stem 38 of the valve reciprocates in a guide 38a which is a Xed structure situated generally between the pump casing and the housing 35 below the valve seat 42. The cup 38" is located above the valve 38 and is therefore disposed above the valve seat 42. A flexible diaphragm 43 is disposed above and extends into the cup 38 where it is held by a clamping plate 44 bearing upon that portion of the diaphragm 43 extending into the cup. This plate 44 is held in place by a spring 4I interposed between the outer extremity of the lever 26 and said clamping plate 44 for the purposes hereinafter set forth. The periphery or circumference of the diaphragm is xedly clamped between the housing 35 and the cover 35 of the said housing. The compression spring 2&515836 5` 41' acts upon the diaphragm 4.3.. through the clamping plate 4,4 and through the cup 38" on the. valve 381 and tends. tofully seat the valve 38.v andcompletely closethe. valve opening in the seatv 42 .thereby stoppingcommunication between the .compartments 3.91and 40.

Atthe outer end ofthe rod orlever 26 is a ball. and socket arrangement similar to. the socket I6 and ball25. at the inner end of the rod 26. This arrangement comprises the. .ball 4.5 xed to the end of .therod 26. to operate within thesplituniversal socket 4.6. As. isapparent. from Fig. 1, the socket 46 is. adapted to reciprocate. vertically within thepassage 4.1 of the cover 35 of the. housing 35. inaligrunent with the valve. stem 38' and is operatively connected-withA the ball and socket. 25?!!5 in the casing l0 by the rod or lever 26 passing through the hollow transverse extension 48. of the casing. Therod 26 projects from each end ofthe. extension 48 and is fulcrumed medially of itslength by thefthreaded nut 28 located within the extension. Thus one end of the rod, Viz. the ball and socket 25J-I6, rests within the housing l0 while its oppositeend, viz. the. ball andsocket45-46, rests within the. passage 4l. Above or beyond the split socket 46. igdisposed. a relatively light compression spring 4l whichoperates between the cap 5| of the cover 3.5 and thev socket 4.6 toV maintain the parts or halves of the latter in cooperative relation to engage the ball 45 therebetween.. Thus. the movement of the rod .or lever 26; about the pivot or fulcrum 28 under the iniiuence of the manifold pressurev applied to the ball and socket -25 causes the ball and socket 4.5.-.-46 to reciprocate. oppositelyV in the passage 41 to` thereby regulate the spring loading applied tor thecup 3.8.

It is to be noted that the fulcrum nut 28 is rectangular in cross-section and that opposed edges or sides-thereof are convexed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Since the nut 28 is so constructed, if the ball 25 moves downward, then the ball 45 will move upward and vice Versa as the rod or lever 25 pivots or oscillates` on` and about theAv opposed convexed edges or sides of. the nut 28. Furthermore, if it is desired to move the nut 28 from one. position to another along the threaded portion 2l of the. rod26 thismay-be` done by turning the. rod26, whereupon the. nut 28, being held against rotation by the cooperation of' its` sides. with theV walls of the extension 48, willtmove alongV the. threaded portion 21-of the rod 26.

The regulator herein described primarily regulates, the. valve opening-available for the bypassing or recirculating of water by determining the position of the valve 38 with respect to said valve opening and seat. Thus as the manifold pressure increases, the bellows i3 expand swinging the rod or lever 26 about the nut 28 as a fulcrum to move the ball and socket connection 45-46 in a direction toward the valve 38. This movement increases the compression of the spring 4| which is applied to the valve 38 and tends to move it toward its seat. As the manifold pressure increases to a maximum determined by the adjustments to be described, the valve 38 ultimately becomes fully seated and completely closes the valve opening. In this manner as the manifold pressure increases to a maximum the size of the valve opening available for the recirculating passage of water from the chamber 40 to the chamber 39 progressively decreases until the passage of al1 Water is cut 01T.

Reverselyas. the manifold pressure .falls thek bel-z lows progressivelycollapseswinging the lever or rod.2:6 inthe opposite.. direction about the ful* crum 28. elevating the ball. and socket. joint. 45e-:4.6. Thisfmovement of the outer end of the. rod or lever 26 away from the valve cup. 38. relievesthe tensionof the spring 4| so that the valvemay be lifted .bythe lpressure of the water within the chamber 4U. Hence, as the manifold pressure increases and decreases the proportionate. amount'of water permitted to by-pass the chamber 40 to. thechamber 3911is correspondingly decreased and increased and since all water passing the impeller 33, and not recirculated to chamber 39 is dischargedthrough the outlet port. 34', .the .volume of water delivered by the outlet port 3.4. ofthe pump is` increased and decreased accordingly.

Toadjust the position of the .fulcrum nutV 28 on the rod 26 thereby altering the ratio of. response between movement of the ball and socket. 25.--l6 and of the ball and Socket E15-46, the end of therod ,or..lever-26. projecting beyond the. balll and .socket I6-25 is. provided with a screw slot. 50 whereby the rod may. be rotated.v An access hole,l closed bythe removable plug 49, pierces thev casing l0 .in alignment with the lever 26. whereby .-a suitabletool may be inserted, after theremovalof the plug, for the rotary manipulation. of thelrod.:

The tension of the spring Il may be deter. mined `or changed by the adjustment of the bolt 22 and once determinedcan beiixed by the lock nut. 24.. This adjustmentof the tension of the spring Il regulates .the response of the bellows. I3 to the manifold pressure. Likewise the cap 5l. which bearsagainstthe spring 47 can be adjusted to regulate the tension of that spring.

Wherever the term water is used herein ity is;intended thereby to. include not only water but any Iother suitable fluids or mixtures thereof.

What is `claimed is:

1.; The combination. with a pump having inlet and, outlet ports andan impeller situated between said ports to. draw fluid from the inletport. and

deliver it underwpressure tothe outlet port,.of'a housingassociated with. said pump having means of communication, upon. each side of the impellerv withthenuid stream passing between said ports, a valve cooperating withV said means of communication onr the outlet side of. thev impeller. tol control the admission of huid-under pressure to saidhousi-ng.. said. valve being subject to fluid pressure onthe outlet side of the impeller tendingto normally open said valve, a; compression springoperati-ng.onsaidV valve; in opposition to Said fluidpressure, alever connected at one of its ends to said. spring. anda source of; variable pressure connected to the opposite end of said lever to operate it in response to pressure changes and thereby vary and regulate the compression of said spring and its operative eect on said valve in opposition to the fluid pressure.

2. The combination with a casing, of a conduit to communicate the manifold pressure of an internal combustion engine to said casing, a bellows within the casing to be extended or collapsed in response to Variations in manifold pressure, a pump to discharge water under pressure for ultimate delivery to the intake manifold of said engine, a valve associated with the pump to vent at least part of the water discharged thereby and thus proportionately reduce the volume of Water delivered to the intake manifold, a spring cooperating with said valve to move it against the wate'r pressure of the pump, and a centrally fulcrumed lever interposed between said bellows and said spring and operable by the former in its movements in response to variations in manifold pressure to regulate the tension of the spring aforesaid.

3. The combination with a pump to discharge water under pressure for ultimate delivery to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, of a Valve for controlling the volume of water delivered by said pump by venting a part of the water under pressure prior to its delivery to the intake manifold, and means, responsive to variations in manifold pressure of the engine, for regulating the volume of water so vented comprising a lever, means operable by Variations in manifold pressure to pivot said lever on its fulcrum, and a connection between said lever and said valve whereby the operative position of the latter varies in response to the movement of the lever.

4. A fluid regulator responsive to variations of pressure at an independent source of variable pressure to determine the flow of fluid in a conduit, comprising a fluid pump having an inlet and an outlet for delivering fluid under pressure, a valve controlled by-pass between the outlet and the inlet of said pump for regulating the delivery pressure to the conduit, and a lever arm connected at one end to the valve of the by-pass and at its other end to the independent pressure source to adjust said valve in response to variations in pressure at said source.

5. The combination with an independent source of variable pressure, of a fluid pump having an outlet conduit for the delivery of fluid under pressure, a regulator for controlling the pressure of the fluid in the said conduit, a bellows responsive to variations in pressure at the independent pressure source, and a lever arm interposed between and connected to the bellows and the regulator aforesaid whereby the operation of said bellows adjusts the regulator, said lever arm having an adjustable fulcrum for modifying the degree of adjustment of said regulator by said arm.

6. The combination with a pump to discharge fluid under pressure and a variable source of pressure, of means for regulating the volume of fluid discharged by the pump comprising a valve controlling the volume of discharged fluid,

a spring including a socket supported thereby acting on the valve against the pressure of the fluid, a pressure actuated bellows responsive to variations in said pressure source, a second spring acting in opposition to the bellows having means for adjusting its opposing pressure, and a centrally fulcrumed lever interposed between the bellows and the socket to change the effectiveness of the spring acting on the valve in accordance with the pressure variations at said source.

7. In a fluid regulator for discharging fluid under pressure, means for controlling the discharge pressure thereof from an independent source of pressure, comprising a spring loaded bellows responsive to variations in the pressure source including means for altering the load on said bellows, a valve operable to determine the rate of fluid discharge, a two section spring acting on said valve, a socket interposed between and in alignment with said spring sections, a lever connecting the said bellows with the said socket, and a fulcrum for the lever aforesaid adjustable to modify the movement transmitted to the valve.

8. In a fluid regulator, the combination with a valve, of spring means normally tending to operate said valve in one direction, a bellows operable by and from a variable pressure, and a centrally fulcrumed lever connecting the said bellows and the valve to vary the operating effect of the spring, the said fulcrum comprising a collar threadably engaged with the lever` for longitudinal movement thereof, and means restricting rotation of the collar about the longitudinal axis of said lever whereupon rotation of the lever will change the position of the collar thereon.

9. The combination with the valve of a fluid regulator, of a compression spring to operate said valve in one direction, a bellows operable in response to variations of pressure at an independent pressure source, means of adjustment to modify the response of the bellows to pressure variations, a lever, having a medial fulcrum, interposed between said compression spring and said bellows whereby the movement of the bellows controls the operative compression of said spring, and means for adjusting the position of the fulcrum with respect to said lever.

RAYMOND P. GENDREAU.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS y Number Name Date 1,935,544 De Lancey Nov. 14, 1933 2,157,089 Storch et al. May 2, 1939 2,170,530 Johnson Aug. 22, 1939 2,189,210 Johnson Feb. 6, 1940 2,191,319 Jawarowski Feb. 20, 1940 2,299,079 Davis Oct. 20, 1942 2,318,337 Schlosser May'4, 1943 2,320,686 Waseige June 1, 1943 2,406,973 Trisler Sept. 3, 1946 

